Cray Wanderers picked up their third consecutive win with a battling performance and superb display from goalkeeper Shaun Rowley with a single goal victory over Carshalton Athletic at a chilly Hayes Lane on Saturday.
Cray started the game in their usual 4-3-2-1 formation with David Ijaha deputising at centre back for the suspended Cameron Black.
The match got off to an open start with play flowing from end to end, but it was The Wands who took the lead after 15 minutes when Frankie Raymond’s corners found Alfie Evans in the box who directed the ball towards goal and it deflected into the net off a Carshalton defender for 1-0.
After going behind the visitors had a strong spell of pressure, Matt Everitt hitting the crossbar from 25 yards out after a strong run from midfield.
Going into the half hour mark the game grew more ill tempered and there were few heavy challenges in the midfield, Referee Kane Dempster showing the first of eight yellow cards in the game to Ijaha.
Cray rallied from there with Evans playing in Lockyer who fired just wide from the edge of the area, but late on in the half The Robins pressed again. Former Cray striker Danny Bassett setting up Oluwabunmi Babajide who shot narrowly wide and then Everitt had a shot saved by Rowley.
The second half got off to a wide open start, but after former Wanderer Andre Coker was introduced Carshalton began to press again.
Tom Beere had powerful drive that hit Ijaha and looked to maybe be a handball, but Mr Dempster waved the appeals for a penalty away.
Bassett fired over following a goalmouth scramble and Rowley then saved from Bassett soon after. Coker shot over after another assault from The Robins on The Wands area, before Cray broke up field and could have doubled their lead when Ellis Brown played in Yahaya Bamba who took a heavy touch and collided with Carshalton keeper Will Huffer and with the visitors’ custodian laying injured, Bamba hit the post from ten yards out, before The Robins’ defence cleared the danger.
Peter Adeniyi’s team rallied again, Beere had a powerful shot palmed away by Rowley, before Coker and Bassett combined before Bassett hit the outside of the post from a tight angle.
Beere had a shot blocked and another scramble was eventually cleared by Jack Holland, then Bassett drove just wide. Rowley made a superb save from Beere when one on one as The Robins continued to look for a leveller, and then in the six minutes of injury time, Nyren Clunis made a great block to deny Babajide to secure the three points for Cray Wanderers.
The win Keeps Neil Smith’s side in seventeenth place, now five points clear of the bottom four ahead of their FA Trophy second round game away at Weston Super Mare next Saturday.
Cray: Rowley, Evans (Cook 70), Mascoll, Holland, Ijaha, Kwartchey, Brown, Raymond, Clunis, Bamba, Lockyer (Wood 88). Subs Not Used: MacAllister, Binnie, Dembele.
Carshalton: Huffer, Williams, Beeden, Sankoh (Beere 30), Everitt (O’Brien 77), Read, Frimpong (Coker 53), Bradford, Marshall, Bassett, Babajide. Subs Not Used: Puemo, Hamilton-Downes.
Goal: Own Goal 15mins.
HT 1-0 FT 1-0
ATT: 209